Capitals of Scandinavia — Self-Launched
10 days · Scandinavia & the Baltic (Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn)
Trafalgar charges £2,050
No-markup version: ~£1,485 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 10-day self-launched version of Trafalgar's "Capitals of Scandinavia" coach tour, done independently by rail, bus and ferry. You'll cover the same four capitals — Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki — plus an unmissable day trip to Tallinn's walled Old Town, staying in well-located hostels and budget hotels, joining walkable free/cheap city tours, and taking the same overnight Baltic cruise the tour uses. Scandinavia is expensive, so this version leans on hostels, supermarket breakfasts and public transport passes — but it still comes in at roughly half the guided coach price, with full freedom over your days.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark
Fly into Copenhagen Kastrup (CPH) and take the Metro (M2) straight into the city centre — about 15 minutes and DKK 30 (£3.50). Check into a hostel in Vesterbro or near Nørreport, then spend the evening wandering the cobbles of Nyhavn, watching the canal boats and grabbing a cheap smørrebrød or shawarma for dinner. Buy a 72-hour City Pass for zones 1-99 if you plan a lot of metro/bus use (£22).
🚌Metro M2 from CPH Airport to city centre, ~DKK 30 (£3.50)
🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in Vesterbro/Nørreport (e.g. Copenhagen Downtown Hostel or similar)
- →Evening walk along Nyhavn harbour
- →Pick up a Rejsekort or 72-hr City Pass at the station
Copenhagen on foot — palaces, the Little Mermaid and Nyhavn
Copenhagen, Denmark
Do a self-guided version of the tour's city sights. Start with a free walking tour (tip-based, ~£10 in tips) from City Hall Square covering Christiansborg Palace, Amalienborg Palace and the Old Town. Break for lunch at Torvehallerne food market (budget ~£10), then walk up Langelinie Promenade to see the Little Mermaid statue and loop back via the Kastellet fortress. Optional: entry to Christiansborg Palace reception rooms (~£17) and the Round Tower (~£5).
🚌On foot; occasional metro hop ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in Vesterbro/Nørreport
- →Free walking tour of Copenhagen (tip-based)
- →Christiansborg Palace & Amalienborg Palace exteriors
- →Little Mermaid statue at Langelinie Promenade
- →Torvehallerne food market
Copenhagen to Oslo by train (Øresund crossing + Swedish coast)
Copenhagen → Oslo
Reproduce the tour's Øresund ferry crossing on land: the Øresundståg train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg crosses the Øresund Bridge and runs down the Swedish coast, then change to a Vy train up to Oslo. Book 4-8 weeks ahead on sj.se/Vy for roughly SEK 400-600 + NOK 300-500 (£60-90 total); it's a scenic 8-9 hours through Skåne and the forests north of Gothenburg. Alternatively fly Norwegian CPH-OSL (~£45) if you're short on time. Arrive in Oslo, check into a hostel near Grünerløkka or the central station.
🚌Øresundståg + Vy regional trains via Gothenburg, ~£60-90 (or Norwegian flight ~£45)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Oslo central station / Grünerløkka (e.g. Anker Hostel)
- →Scenic rail journey over the Øresund Bridge
- →Evening wander along the Akerselva river in Grünerløkka
Oslo — Vigeland Park, waterfront and opera house
Oslo, Norway
Cover the tour's Oslo sights for free or nearly nothing. Take tram 12 or walk to Vigeland Sculpture Park (free, open 24h) and spend an hour among the sculptures. Head back via the Royal Palace and Akershus Fortress, then walk the Bjørvika waterfront to the Oslo Opera House — you can walk on the sloping marble roof for free. Finish the day at a Grünerløkka bar or a budget dinner in a food hall like Vippa (mains £10-14).
🚌Tram/walking, Ruter 24-hr pass ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Oslo central station
- →Vigeland Sculpture Park
- →Akershus Fortress & Royal Palace exteriors
- →Oslo Opera House roof walk
- →Vippa waterfront food hall
Oslo to Stockholm with a farm-to-table stop
Oslo → Stockholm
Book a Vy train Oslo-Stockholm (fast daytime option ~6 hours, ~£35-55 booked early) or a cheaper early FlixBus or SJ/MTR Express. The tour's 'Be My Guest' lunch with Niklas and Anna at Egastronomi in Kumla (near Örebro, roughly halfway) is a real small farm restaurant — you can book a table yourself by phone/email and time a lunch stop there if you split the journey (Vy has connections via Örebro/Hallsberg). Most travellers will opt for a direct train and a supermarket lunch instead. Arrive in Stockholm and check into a hostel in Gamla Stan or Södermalm.
🚌Vy SJ train Oslo-Stockholm ~£35-55 booked in advance
🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in Gamla Stan/Södermalm (e.g. City Backpackers Hostel)
- →Cross-country train through Värmland forest and lakes
- →Optional self-booked lunch at Egastronomi, Kumla
- →Evening stroll on Södermalm
Stockholm — Gamla Stan, City Hall and Storkyrkan
Stockholm, Sweden
Join a free walking tour of Gamla Stan (tip-based) covering the Royal Palace, Storkyrkan cathedral and Riddarholmen church exteriors, matching the tour's Local Specialist circuit. In the afternoon visit Stockholm City Hall on a guided tour (~SEK 150 / £12) or simply walk the waterfront. Riddarholmen at sunset is the postcard shot. Fika at a cheap café in Södermalm, and if you're up for it, try one of Stockholm's Icebar experiences (pre-book ~£20) or the Vasa Museum (~SEK 190 / £15) — the tour's optional maritime heritage add-on.
🚌On foot / metro single ~£3.50
🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in Gamla Stan/Södermalm
- →Free walking tour of Gamla Stan
- →Storkyrkan & Royal Palace exteriors
- →Stockholm City Hall guided visit
- →Optional Vasa Museum or Icebar
Overnight Baltic cruise Stockholm to Helsinki
Stockholm → Helsinki (at sea)
Book the same overnight ferry the tour uses — Tallink Silja Line's Symphony/Serenade, departing Stockholm around 17:00 and arriving Helsinki around 10:00. Book directly on the Tallink Silja site for a shared/seaside cabin or a B-class cabin (roughly £55-95 per person in high season, cheaper in shoulder season); buy dinner from the buffet or café onboard. Spend the evening on deck as the ship threads the Stockholm archipelago.
🚌Tallink Silja overnight ferry Stockholm-Helsinki, ~£55-95 incl. cabin
🛏Tallink Silja Line overnight cruise cabin (book direct)
- →Archipelago views from the deck
- →Onboard sauna and evening buffet
- →Sunset over the Baltic
Helsinki — Market Square, Senate and Finlandia Hall
Helsinki, Finland
Disembark around 10:00 and drop bags at a hostel near Kamppi or Katajanokka. Buy lunch at the Market Square (salmon soup ~£8) and join a free walking tour covering Senate Square, Helsinki Cathedral, Finlandia Hall and the Sibelius Monument. In the evening take a public ferry to Suomenlinna sea fortress (HSL ticket ~£3.50 covers the ferry) and watch the sunset from the ramparts — a cheap alternative to the tour's reindeer park optional.
🚌On foot; Suomenlinna ferry on an HSL day ticket ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Helsinki centre (e.g. Eurohostel Katajanokka)
- →Free walking tour of Helsinki
- →Market Square & Senate Square
- →Suomenlinna sea fortress by public ferry
- →Sibelius Monument
Day trip to Tallinn's Old Town
Tallinn, Estonia (day trip from Helsinki)
Do the tour's optional Tallinn excursion independently and cheaper. Book a morning Eckerö Line or Tallink ferry from Helsinki's West Terminal (2 hours, ~£18-30 return with an early booking) and walk 15 minutes from Tallinn D-terminal into the UNESCO Old Town. Climb Toompea hill, walk the city walls, visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (free) and try Estonian lunch in a cellar restaurant (~£9). Return on the evening ferry, arriving back around 20:00-21:00. Book tickets 2-4 weeks ahead for the best fares.
🚌Eckerö Line / Tallink ferry Helsinki-Tallinn return, ~£18-30
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Helsinki centre
- →Tallinn Old Town walls & Toompea hill
- →Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- →Town Hall Square and Estonian lunch
- →Optional Kiek in de Kök tower ~£5
Helsinki and depart
Helsinki, Finland
Spend the morning on anything you missed — a swim at the free Hietaniemi beach, a last Market Square coffee, or the free Temppeliaukio rock church (entry ~£5). The HSL Airport train from the central station to Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL) takes 30 minutes and costs about £4.50, with regular departures through the day for onward flights home.
🚌HSL airport train to Helsinki-Vantaa, ~£4.50
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Temppeliaukio rock church
- →Hietaniemi beach (free)
- →Last Market Square coffee
Self-launched vs. Trafalgar
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Trafalgar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,485 | £2,050 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £565 per person (28%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Trafalgar-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,485
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Capitals of Scandinavia — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,485 per person for 10 days in Scandinavia & the Baltic (Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Trafalgar?+
Yes — Trafalgar charges around £2,050 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,485 — a saving of roughly £565 (28%) per person.
How long is the Scandinavia & the Baltic (Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Scandinavia & the Baltic (Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through Scandinavia & the Baltic (Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.